Heroes and Demons (episode)
When several crew members disappear inside Harry Kim's "Beowulf" holodeck program, the holographic Doctor is the only one who can rescue them. Summary *''Captain’s log, stardate 48693.2. We’ve altered course to investigate some unusually intense photonic activity in a nearby protostar. Lieutenant Torres and I are beaming aboard samples for further analysis. '' Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres encounters an irregularity in the transport of samples from a nearby protostar; one of the containers is filled but the other is empty. After this irregularity is corrected on a second attempt, Torres informs Captain Janeway that she will perform a full, six-hour spectral analysis on both containers. It is concluded that the samples could be harnessed to improve the power converters by fifteen to twenty percent. Janeway attempts to locate Ensign Harry Kim to expedite the analysis, however the computer informs her that Kim is not aboard the ship. Janeway then goes to the bridge, where Lieutenant Commander Tuvok and Commander Chakotay aid her in a more thorough search of the ship for Kim. Noticing that Kim was last seen on the holodeck, Tuvok performs an intensive scan of the holodeck, though there is a high amount of interference. Realizing that the holodeck program cannot be shut down, Tuvok and Chakotay enter the program while it is still in progress. They discover the holonovel, Beowulf, which is an emulation of "an ancient English epic set in 6th century Denmark" as described by Chakotay. Soon after this discovery, they encounter a holodeck character who shoots a projectile at Chakotay, though missing him. Tuvok and Chakotay come to the conclusion that holodeck commands and safeguards may be inoperative. The holodeck character identifies herself as "Freya, daughter of King Hrothgar", who believes they are possibly malevolent intruders. Asking if they are Beowulf's men, Chakotay finds an opportunity to befriend Freya, by declaring that they are indeed such. Chakotay realized that since Kim chose the holodeck program, he was probably playing the lead character: Beowulf. Tuvok and Chakotay decide to remain with Freya, in hopes that she may aid them in their search for Kim. Freya alarmingly mentions that Beowulf has died. Freya takes them to the castle of King Hrothgar, to "avenge the death" of Beowulf. The men in the King's company tell Tuvok and Chakotay that Beowulf died with 30 warriors, at the hands of a merciless monster named Grendel. Tuvok asks for Beowulf's body, but Freya informs him that Grendel dragged the body to its lair, although nobody saw the battle. The King loses faith in Beowulf's incapability in killing Grendel, and is terrified. The King and his company are doubtful of Tuvok and Chakotay's worthiness, and as a test require them to hold sentry of the castle. Tuvok and Chakotay inform Janeway of the program. Tuvok suggests that Kim may truly be dead. Janeway requests tricorder analysis of the program. Tuvok and Chakotay discuss Beowulf as an example of human mythology. Tuvok sees it as illogical, claiming that Vulcans do not write about demons. Chakotay discusses alien mythology that relates to Beowulf, such as Vok'sha of Rakella Prime. It is discovered that the protostar emitted energy that caused the holodeck to malfunction. This caused Kim to be converted into energy. One meter in diameter, a bright mass appears in the program. Torres tries to transport them out of the program but it does not work. They have disappeared to Torres and Janeway. Photonic energy created a defect that de-materialized Kim, Chakotay, and Tuvok. Lieutenant Tom Paris is convinced that they may still be recoverable. To prevent a rescue team being consumed in the same fashion, Paris suggests that the The Doctor could be used, "because a hologram cannot be converted into energy because it's already energy". The Doctor would also have the advantage of being corporeal or incorporeal at will. The Doctor is asked to interact with the characters and discover the root of the malfunction. Kes talks with The Doctor while he learns background information concerning Beowulf. Kes asks if The Doctor is nervous about the task, since it is different from his intended programming. The Doctor admits that the unfamiliarity of the environment outside of sickbay makes him uneasy. Kes explains that it will be a chance for The Doctor to become independent and more Human. Kes suggests a name for The Doctor, and he agrees to further research a suitable name for himself. The Doctor encounters Freya in the same fashion as Chakotay and Tuvok, and already knows every important detail about her, due to his copious research of Beowulf. After Freya gloats of her exploits, The Doctor asks Freya for Grendel's location. Freya finds The Doctor's willingness to locate such an epic monster as courageous and admirable. The Doctor says his name is "Schweitzer"; Freya says it is a warrior's name. She agrees to lead him to Grendel. Freya begins to forage sub-arctic fungi, for a broth in a warrior's pre-battle concoction. The Doctor comments on the fungi in a clinical tone, describing it as detrimental to physical activity. Freya counters that anything that does not kill, makes one strong. The King is introduced to The Doctor, and is received in a nearly identical fashion as Chakotay and Tuvok, with an identical script. The Doctor engages with one of the King's men, Unferth, in a sword fight to prove his worthiness in fighting Grendel. The Doctor slightly wounds the foe, and gives him medical advice thereafter. He gains the adulation of the King's audience as they chant "Schweitzer!" The men in the castle invite The Doctor to a feast of meat. The Doctor begins to gloat of unusually dry exploits (most notably "Parinisti measles") with copious amounts of advanced medical terminology. This confounds the men. Freya sits with The Doctor near a roaring fire. Freya confesses her unease about Grendel, and asks The Doctor for counsel. Freya fears her courage would falter, but says The Doctor has bolstered it. Freya grows romantically attached to The Doctor, and they kiss. Freya invites The Doctor to her bed, but he declines, being interrupted to readings of photonic energy. It is Grendel. Its tentacle grasps onto The Doctor, and as he is suddenly aware of feeling the creature's touch, he frantically requests to be transported to sickbay. He makes it; however, Grendel's tentacle prevents The Doctor's arm from being transported. Paris adds a new arm to The Doctor. The Doctor's tricorder readings cause Paris and Torres to research the energy further, discovering synaptic patterns. The protostar samples are discovered to be photonic lifeforms, and break free from the sample, passing the containment field and traveling about the ship. Janeway decides to let the organism escape through the hull, since there is no present danger. She demands visual analysis of the breach, and an immediate repair of the hull following its breach. It rejoins a photonic lattice: a sort of "home" for the photonic organisms. Janeway concludes that Kim, Tuvok, and Chakotay were converted into energy and made up the three patterns present in the photonic mass. It is believed that Grendel is holding the crewmen hostage for the seizure of the photonic samples, which are in fact its living brethren. Janeway believes that releasing the sample to Grendel as a sign of goodwill to the organisms, may lead to the release of the Voyager crewmen. Bringing the remaining organism in a container, The Doctor enters the holodeck. The Doctor claims the sample is a talisman to defeat Grendel. Unferth concludes that since no man has the power to destroy Grendel, The Doctor must be consorting with Grendel. Unferth attempts to slay The Doctor, but Freya blocks the attack with her body, eventually dying in the process. The warrior takes the sample and flees. Freya bids The Doctor farewell, concluding with a kiss. The Doctor takes her sword, and goes to the king to retrieve the sample. The Doctor proclaims himself the only man capable of defeating Grendel. Unferth accuses The Doctor of killing Freya, but he is quelled by The Doctor's bravado. The Doctor threatens Unferth with a lit torch, and proclaims "the only reason you won't die is because I've taken an oath to do no harm." The "oath to do no harm" is the Hippocratic Oath that is used among Starfleet medical personnel. The Doctor calls for Grendel, who appears in the throne room. The Doctor sets free the photonic organism in the sample container. He asks Grendel to return the crewmen. Grendel agrees. *''Captain’s log, stardate 48710.5. Since the return of our missing crewman, we’ve been unable to locate any further traces of the photonic aliens.'' Janeway praises The Doctor for aiding in the establishment of a peaceful relationship with a new species. Moreover she tells The Doctor that she is giving him a special commendation for exemplary performance as a Chief Medical Officer. The Doctor is humbled and thanks Janeway. The Doctor is asked if he wants to be addressed with a name, however he admits he prefers his current designation as "The Doctor". Memorable Quotes "This ancient Earth culture seems fascinated with monsters." "Every culture has its demons. They embody the darkest emotions of its people. Giving them physical form in heroic literature is a way of exploring those feelings. The Vok'sha of Rakella Prime believe that hate is a beast which lives inside the stomach. Their greatest mythical hero is a man who ate stones for twenty-three days to kill the beast, and became a saint." "Such fables are necessary only in cultures which unduly emphasize emotional behavior. I would point out there are no demons in Vulcan literature." "That might account for its popularity." : - Tuvok and Chakotay "Are you a master of herb-lore?" "Well, in a way, I suppose I am." "You are truly a man of many talents, Lord Schweitzer. Your people must value you greatly." "You would think so." : - Freya and the Doctor, as the Doctor acts as Schweitzer "Fire is not the only heat, Lord Schweitzer. You know where I sleep." : - Freya "Sometimes I believe I can see the moment of my own death. It comes in battle, I think, my sword raised high. It is said that fate often spares a doomed warrior if his courage can prevail, but there have been days when I have felt my own courage falter, and then you came." : - Freya "The only reason you won't die is that I took an oath to do no harm." :- The Doctor, to Unferth, after the latter has killed Freya Background Information Story and Script * Jeri Taylor said of this episode's premise, "It was one of those uniquely original ideas of putting the doctor on the holodeck in ''Beowulf. It's what makes Star Trek such a delight to work on, because where else could you do a story like that? It just opens it up to all kinds of really terrific, tantalizing ideas." She also said (specifically, of the episode's use of the holodeck), "''It was one of those irresistible ideas, and the holodeck is a lot of fun." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * Before writing this episode, Naren Shankar worked as a writer and science consultant on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, also serving as story editor on TNG's seventh and final season. This is the only episode of Star Trek: Voyager in which Shankar was involved. Of his work on the episode, executive producer Michael Piller remarked, "Naren Shankar, who is not on staff anymore, came back and wrote this episode and did a wonderful job creating the holodeck environment for ''Beowulf." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) Cast and Characters * ''Star Trek: Voyager s writers were extremely pleased with Robert Picardo's performance as The Doctor in this episode. Jeri Taylor noted, "Robert Picardo was wonderful." Michael Piller remarked, "Picardo is a wonderful actor. I see him as the fish out of water." Similarly, story editor Kenneth Biller commented that the episode gave "Bobby Picardo a chance to shine." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * This episode was a highlight of Kim actor Garrett Wang, although he only appears briefly in the episode. He fondly recalled, "I had chain mail on me, which was great. As an Asian American actor, I'm not really afforded the chance to play period pieces. I could never get a role in ''Braveheart or Rob Roy, so it was a blast." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * Ethan Phillips (Neelix) does not appear in this episode. * Michael Keenan (Hrothgar) previously played Maturin in , and later played Patrick in and . * The name The Doctor assumes in this episode, Schweitzer, is a reference to Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a medical doctor, philosopher and recipient of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize. * Janeway sports a new hairstyle in this episode. This was actress Kate Mulgrew's actual hair, although the new style was dropped after only two episodes as it reportedly was difficult to keep in place. Seven of Nine later wears her hair in a similar bun in subsequent seasons of the series. Production * A forest set was, especially for this episode, constructed on one of Paramount's swing stages. Greenery and backdrops were used in the artificial environment, as well as the construction of the Great Hall. Creating the environment proved to be an enjoyable task. Supervising producer David Livingston noted, "''The art department really had a lot of fun putting together all these elements. It was fun from a visual standpoint because we got to do stuff that we don't normally get to do." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * The historical nature of the holonovel provided a basis to work from. David Livingston explained, "It was something grounded in reality here on Earth, so we could kind of go for it since we had a template and didn't have to create something out of whole cloth. Everything there was in mythology and in historical record, so all the departments could go back to them and then kind of expand upon them, and that's why I think it was very successful." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * Director Les Landau was also able to utilize a crane for establishing shots of the holodeck environs. David Livingston remarked, "Les used a lot of close-focus lenses to get this tremendous sense of depth, and you get a lot of big, wide shots." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * In summation, Michael Piller commented, "It was very well produced." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) Continuity * Although holodecks and malfunctions related to them had been heavily explored in Star Trek: The Next Generation and would be revisited in later episodes of Voyager, the writing team believed this episode differed sufficiently from those other stories. Considering this episode's elements, Jeri Taylor stated, "We put people in the holodeck and get them into trouble, but you get to see things you haven't seen before on ''Star Trek. And isn't getting there half the fun of it? Show me the person that doesn't think that's a lot of fun and says, 'I've seen this before,' and I will show you a really dull person. I thought it was delightful .... I think it transcended the idea of 'Oh, we're in trouble on the holodeck. " Similarly, Kenneth Biller commented, "''It's tough to do these holodeck episodes. After René Echevarria did the ''Next Generation episode 'Ship in a Bottle,' it becomes hard to top that in terms of holodeck stories. Not that this topped that, but it was very successful and a lot of fun." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * This episode is the first one in which The Doctor leaves his usual confines. Jeri Taylor noted, "''It was ... the first time the doctor got out of sick bay, which was a lot of fun." Kenneth Biller remarked that this episode was one in which "you got to see the doctor really grow and take on challenges you never thought he would have to face." The Doctor's first trip outside of sickbay is one of the ways that this episode's use of a holodeck differs from how holodecks are featured in other episodes. Taylor stated, "It was ... different in that it was the doctor's first away mission. So it was a great way to break him out of sick bay." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) Reception * Besides describing this episode as "delightful", Jeri Taylor also noted, "People adored this episode." Similarly, Michael Piller remarked, "It was ... just wonderful." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages) * This episode was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dennis McCarthy) and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Series (Marvin V. Rush). Video and DVD releases * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.6, catalogue number VHR 4006, . * As part of the VOY Season 1 DVD collection. Links and References Main Cast *Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway *Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay *Roxann Biggs-Dawson as Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres *Jennifer Lien as Kes *Robert Duncan McNeill as Lieutenant Tom Paris *Robert Picardo as The Doctor *Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok *Garrett Wang as Ensign Harry Kim Guest Stars *Marjorie Monaghan as Freya *Christopher Neame as Unferth *Michael Keenan as Hrothgar Co-Star *Majel Barrett as Computer Voice Uncredited Co-Stars *Christopher Canole as a holographic Viking *Christine Delgado as Lieutenant Susan Nicoletti *Tarik Ergin as Ayala *Coleman McClary as a Starfleet engineer *Tom Morga as a holographic Viking *Richard Sarstedt as Crewman William McKenzie *Simon Stotler as an operations division ensign *Unknown performers as **Six male holographic Vikings **Three female holographic Vikings Stunt doubles *Tom Morga as stunt double for Christopher Neame *John Nowak as stunt double for Robert Picardo *Patricia Tallman as stunt double for Marjorie Monaghan References Amanita muscaria, annular confinement beam, antibody, atuta, base pair sequencer, bear, Beowulf, Beowulf, biobed, Danes, Denmark, elk, endoplasmic virus, First Contact, fungi, Gar-Dane, Grendel, heatho-bard, herb, Hippocratic Oath, holo-character, holodeck, holodeck conversion node, imaging control systems, king, matter conversion node, mead, neural net, Parinisti measles, phase spectrum analysis, photonic lattice, photonic lifeform, photonic matter, poison, power converter, primary imaging matrix, protostar, Rakella Prime, Schweitzer, Scyld, shield-maiden; sorcerer, stomach, sword, synaptic pattern, transporter, Vok'sha, Vulcan literature |next= }} de:Helden und Dämonen es:Heroes and Demons fr:Heroes and Demons nl:Heroes and Demons Category:VOY episodes